Posted: 9/20/05
On-line learning takes off in Houston
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
You wouldnít think the two classrooms and the end of the hall at Houston High School could hold so many students.
But one of the cubicle-filled rooms holds 650 elementary school students, and through the connecting door there are 70 full-time and 50 part-time high schoolers.
The numbers are staggering, and so is the concept. It might be Houstonís best-kept secret.
The students are enrolled on-line in two separate programs, Minnesota Virtual Academy (MNVA) for grades K-8, and Minnesota Center of On-line Learning (MCoOL) for grades 9-12.
They are part of ISD #294 in Houston, even though they are not in those rooms in person.
The district first started experimenting with on-line classes in the schoolís alternative learning center several years ago, superintendent Kim Ross said on September 7. Teachers saw the potential and the challenges, and a team of people were receptive to doing a new program.
The state legislature also developed an opportunity to help districts engage in on-line learning, Ross added. Parallel to that, Ross had started working with a curriculum company to become an on-line provider.
Ross, who is in his 11th year as Houstonís superintendent, had some personal interest too. He and his wife had home-schooled their first child. They saw some needs that existed to assist in learning.
MNVA received state Department of Education approval for its program, and signed a contract with a curriculum provider. It began offering classes in November of 2002 with 75 students.
Growth has been phenomenal since then. ISD #294 had an enrollment of 480 students with 60 employees and a $3.2 million budget in 2000. This year the district has 1,134 students, 125 employees, and a $7.8 million budget.
Ross feels that the two on-line programs are public school options that are right for many people. At first there was a some fear and lack of understanding of it, he said, but people are now acknowledging that is a good option for families.
ìItís becoming more accepted as an option of choice,î Ross said.
Higher education in the business community has been happening a long time, Ross said. ìPublic education is using those opportunities to help students too.î
If there are ways to do things better, itís a schoolís responsibility to do those things, Ross feels.
The financial impact of all those students has been positive, Ross said. ìItís added to our stability. Itís added to our strength in a wide variety of areas as far as staff development, technology engagement, our ability to create more full-time jobs.î
Traditional schools have costs in thing like bussing, lunch, and building maintenance. On-line learning doesnít have that, Ross said, but there is a high cost for technology. ìThe operating expense of serving students throughout the state is huge,î Ross said. ìItís different.î
The program is going well, Ross said. It growing rapidly and has huge potential, he feels. ìIt needs to be a conscious decision on our part how much we want to grow. Weíre discovering we can meet the needs of a lot of kids,î he said.
School board supportive
Kelley Stanage, the Houston School Board chairperson, said the board is supportive of its on-line schools. They have allowed ISD #294 to increase enrollment where most rural schools are experiencing declining enrollment and financial pressures, she said.
ìWeíre doing OK,î she said about the districtís financial condition. ìAny public school in this nation today is feeling financial pressure. I feel that we have a fairly good handle on what we can do today and where we can go in the future.î
Parental involvement is important to student success on-line, and MNVA encourages that, Stanage feels. Students donít just sit in front of a computer 6-8 hours a day, she said. They get a huge Rubbermaid tub full of learning material like workbooks that they use with their parents in the educational process. Students get together with teachers and classmates frequently, Stanage added.
Parental involvement is not the same as social interaction, Stanage explained. ìThatís one of the things that people frequently bring up when they want to make a case against on line,î she said. ìWe pretty much leave that up to the parents.î
People who are enrolled in MNVA get involved and become socially active in different arenas outside of school, she said.
Parental involvement is key
Micah Hanson is in his second years as MNVA director. He had taught upper elementary school since 1997 in Houston prior to that.
MNVA has three starting dates this fall: September 1, October 3, and November 7. They have added four new staff members this year, and another teacher will be added in November.
All that growth has led to some growing pains, he said, but they are making sure they have enough staff in place.
Hanson said it is rewarding to hear positive feedback from parents. ìTheyíre just so thankful that thereís an opportunity like this,î he said.
Itís also interesting for him to hear how MNVA meets the unique needs of families. Sometimes itís for a health impairment or a safety issue. MNVA give a structured education, yet students can work out of a home environment, Hanson said.
ìItís not for everyone,î he added ìIt definitely takes a dedicated parent, responsible adult thatís going to be able to have that time.î
The teacher is the licensed teacher, and the parent works directly with the child on a daily basis, Hanson described. Teachers can see what is happening, the progress and attendance, Hanson said. ìDefinitely the parents are crucial for having this be successful,î he stressed.
ìItís been exciting, challenging,î he added. ìJust a new experience. Everything changes in the world and education isnít immune to change either.
Growth led to MCoOL
MCoOL, the high school program, started in 2004, after there was ìhuge growthî in MNVA during its first year, MCoOL director Steve Kerska said. He was a vocational/technology teacher in the high school prior to starting MCoOL. This is his 25th year in Houston.
MCoOL started as a part-time program for students who were still in school and wanted an extra class. It became obvious that students desired a full-time option and not just one or two hours a day, he said.
So a full-time, diploma-based program was launched in the second year. Itís the only school in Minnesota where a student can complete a full high school program on-line, Kerska said, and Houston Public Schools is the biggest on-line provider in Minnesota.
ìWe have experienced a tremendous, wonderful growth in our student populations,î he said. The greatest number of students are located in the Twin Cities area.
The program has created new employment opportunities too, he said.
On-line learning isnít for everyone, Kerska said. It takes a self-motivated, self-disciplined, organized person.
Traditional schools will not dissolve because of it, he added. ìThereís a certain percentage it works for,î he said.
Word of mouth is the best marketing tool the school has, Kerska said. His staff also holds informational sessions, does some radio advertising, and contacts school counselors to make sure they are aware of the school.
Competition in business is good, Kerska feels. ìI think maybe education has been lacking that,î he said. School districts that are losing students need to make adjustments, he said.
What is a typical day like for a MCoOL student? Kerska said they log on to the site and use a password to get into their class. Classes are open 24 hours a day. Students read the curriculum, perhaps go to video links, and ask questions of the teacher. Teachers must respond within 24 hours, but it is usually much faster than that, Kerska said. The computers in Kerskaís room in Houston High School can monitor all the classes.
There is a lot of dialogue between students and teachers, Kerska said, especially for introverted students who might refrain from asking questions in a traditional classroom.
Most tests are given on line. The Minnesota Basic Standards Tests have to be monitored, so those are given on a certain day at 16 different sites. Thatís a huge logistical issue, Kerska admitted. ìThe state will kind of dictate where thatís at,î he said.
Kerska reiterated points made by Ross and Stanage that MCoOL has been good for the district financially. He noted that the district was in statutory operating debt eight years ago. Revenue of about $6,000 follows each student in Minnesota, Kerska said.
Costs for MCoOL include an expensive electronic curriculum, support staff, and teachers, Kerska said. MCoOL uses a curriculum called Class.Com, from Lincoln, Nebraska.
Students who want to attend MCoOL fill out a preliminary application, then taken a survey that consists of a series of questions. They receive a score that tells whether they would be a good candidate. Kerska talks to students and parents and asks them why they want to do it.
The biggest challenges for the school are dealing with technology issues on home computers, Kerska said. Students might not have technological savvy, or curriculum might be blocked because the server has a virus.
Teachers like it
It is not hard to find teachers for the program, Kerska said. When he first posted openings on-line, he couldnít get away from his phone or computer for three days. Teachers are interviewed in person, then trained to be on-line educators.
Kerska feels thereís a lot of interest because teachers donít have to do ìcombat dutyî and deal with discipline problems.
Kerska said the projections for growth in the program are almost scary. The staff will need to spend time developing a road map to project the staff and faculty needs. Thatís something heíll be working on in a classroom in which he once taught drafting many years ago.
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